From the Command Sergeant Major

Several weeks ago Maj. Gen. McQueen and I attended the Senior Leader’s Conference in which General Miley and Sergeant Major of the Army Daily were guest speakers. Their topic was one that is not new to any of us: Soldier readiness. They reminded us that every single one of us who wears this uniform had raised their hand and taken an oath ‘to support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.’ In order to defend this nation, we have to be ready to deploy at any given time. The issue we’re facing is far too many of today’s Soldiers are not ready and an even greater percentage are ‘Non-Deployable’.

The issue we’re facing is far too many of today’s Soldiers are not ready and an even greater percentage are ‘Non-Deployable.’

How can we defend a nation when we’re non-deployable?

Can you imagine a professional baseball player signing a contract to play for a major league team only to find out he cannot touch a baseball or a bat!

There are those that find every excuse to avoid taking an APFT by getting a temporary or permanent profile, and then there are also those who haven’t even taken an APFT or failed it several times. And this is Army wide. The Chief of Staff of the Army and the Sergeant Major of the Army also indicated that if you’re non-deployable and you are not ready, the time has come to make room for those that are.

We’re talking about the ones who remember the oath they took and honor that oath every day. The ones who push themselves and go far and above what is required of them. The ones who take the hard right over the easy left. When that professional ball player doesn’t perform to what is expected of him, they usually get rid of him. So once again, if you as a Soldier are not ready or deployable, you’re not relevant!

Let’s make sure we’re doing everything possible to fix ourselves. There are so many resources today that are available to us and assist us in getting ‘fit’ and maintain our physical readiness. I believe the Army does a great job of looking after the health and welfare of their Soldiers. Fixing our medical readiness is a phone call and setting up an appointment. No one should miss a doctor’s appointment especially when they send several notifications reminding us of those appointments. Missing appointments is not only irresponsible but it costs the unit an awful lot of money.

Another thing that I would like to share with each of you is there are many overseas opportunities that are getting ready to materialize shortly. Only the very best will be selected to represent not only the 108th Training Command but the U.S. Army as well.

And while I’m on the subject of the very best, I want to acknowledge two of our great Warriors who just competed in the 2016 USARC Best Warrior Competition in Fort Bragg, North Carolina in May

Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Moeller and Spc. Kayla Bundy truly represented their units at this prestigious event in which the very best of the best competed. Thirty-nine competitors from every command in the Army Reserve competed and at the end, only twenty-seven remained to complete the competition. Moeller won the Best Warrior competition and will represent the Army Reserve at the Department of the Army Competition and Spc. Bundy came within a margin of winning her class. I commend these two outstanding Warriors and am so proud that they are both part of the 108th Training Command.